Some bans on open burning of yard waste in Livingston County are being lifted or will be lifted soon, while others stay in effect until further notice.

The Green Oak Township Fire Department lifted its burn ban Wednesday.

The Hartland-Deerfield Fire Authority will lift its burn ban Saturday at dawn.

Tyrone Township’s burn ban will also be lifted at dawn Saturday.

One burn ban that will stay in effect is for the entire Howell Area Fire district. It will remain in effect until further notice, so do not burn.

In early spring, grass fires are a serious concern, according to Michael Bernardin, the fire marshal at the Hartland-Deerfield Fire Authority. He first issued the soon-to-be-lifted burn ban because conditions were just right for grass fires to catch.

“When the ground is still frozen, water cannot penetrate into the ground. The roots are frozen and cannot absorb water. So vegetation is dry,” Bernardin said. “If you couple dry conditions with even a 5-7 mph breeze, then it is enough to easily start a major grass fire.”

Bernardin noted that plants are beginning to green up, which is a good sign that rainwater is penetrating plant roots. A combination of “the sun thawing the ground and moisture, rain,” improves conditions, he said.

However, the fire marshal warned people to always be careful burning natural yard waste — all those leafs, sticks and twigs — even after an open burn ban is lifted.

“Even though we are lifting the ban, remember that conditions may not be the same everywhere. Some places are drier and some places are greener. For example, if you live in a rural setting, there is still a chance the ground is frozen because there are more trees out there. In suburban areas, there are more houses to warm things up, for example,” Bernardin said.

Each community has its own rules, which you should double check occasionally, Bernardin reminded.

“I highly recommend getting in touch with your local fire department, because the rules may have changed,” he said.

There are a few things to be careful of when doing an open burn. One rule, which is also Michigan law: “If it grows out of the ground, you are allowed to burn it,” Bernardin said. Remember that burning trash is illegal.

“Your fire should be located in a clear area,” Bernardin said, adding that it is a good idea to do it at least 50-feet away from any buildings or structures.

One more golden rule of open burning is that the fire must be attended at all times. Do not even walk away from it for even a minute.

Contact Livingston Daily county and townships reporter Jennifer Eberbach at 517-548-7148 or at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTheWriter.